Abstain
by wingsofseyfert12
Summary: Makoto is feeling frustrated by how slowly his relationship with Katsura is coming along. After a serious talk with Sekai the young man realizes that there is more to a relationship than he initally thought.


Disclaimer: I do not own School Days.

Author's Notes: Something that I decided to dabble while having way too much time at work.

* * *

Makoto passed his hand through his hair in frustration. It felt like his relationship with Katsura was going nowhere. They were in a relationship and yet she still acted so cold toward him. At first he understood of her reluctance. She was a shy girl and had never had a boyfriend before. Not that he had a girlfriend before either but he was willing to move on with their relationship.

His imagination usually consisted of them going on a date all the while holding hands and enjoying each other's company. So far she had only invited him to her home and even then only at the company of either her parents or sister. He did not mind Katsura's sister if anything he thought she was cute. But he wanted to spend his time alone with Katsura but she was still so reluctant.

He sighed once more as he continued to stare into space from the rooftop of the school. As he continued his thoughts he heard the sound of soft footsteps behind him.

"Hey there what is eating you up?"

Makoto smiled as she heard the sound of Sekai's voice. She had become a very good friend and was the one who actually hooked him up with Katsura in the first place. At times Makoto wasn't sure what his exact feelings were toward Sekai.

Unlike Katsura she wasn't afraid to be alone with him or to joke around with. He was at complete ease with her while he still felt jittery around Katsura. Perhaps it was her beauty that was still getting to him but even so it was difficult to understand the source of his frustrations.

"I don't know Sekai. Katsura is always uncomfortable around me. I try to be understanding and give her space but it has already been a month and we still haven't had a date that wasn't at her house. I really want to move forward with this relationship but I don't know how."

Sekai took a moment to think about what she wanted to say. Truthfully she had found her feelings toward Makoto to be growing stronger by the day. Sometimes she even wanted Makoto's relationship to fail with Katsura. To hear him having problems with her made Sekai secretly happy. When she had first pushed Katsura and Makoto together she had did it because they were both her friends and she wanted to see them happy. She was now beginning to regret that choice.

However she wouldn't back down from her decision. Taking a deep breath she composed herself as she tried to think of anything that she could help her best friend.

"You're telling me that you want to move the relationship forward with Katsura. What does that mean exactly Makoto?" asked Sekai sternly.

"Well I want to be able to go on a date with her. I want to be able to hold hands while we go shopping or watch movies. I want to be able to hold her….to kiss her. To do stuff that normal people in relationships do. But I always get the feeling that Katsura is uncomfortable with me. When I do touch her she shirks from me. We kissed once but again she came across as almost disgusted. Maybe she doesn't know it but it hurts when she does that. She always apologizes but it still doesn't change the fact that her actions cause me pain. I mean if she didn't want to go out with me then she should have said it. Sure I would have been bummed out if she said 'no' but I would prefer that then to be in a relationship where my affections are going unrequited."

Sekai was surprised at the amount of frustration Makoto had. She knew that his relationship with Katsura was coming along slowly and that it bothered Makoto but not to this extent.

"So you want to be on a more intimate relationship with Katsura. I understand. Most teenage boys your age would want the same thing. However I want to ask you a very serious question Makoto. Are you in this relationship with Katsura because you really love her or are you simply attracted to her looks?"

Makoto wasn't expecting this question. Most times when he came to Sekai for advice she was normally understanding and pliant. He wondered if she had been telling him things he wanted to hear instead of giving her own personal opinion.

Regardless he was now at a cross roads. What was his relationship to Katsura and why did he fall for her in the first place?

Sure he could admit that he was physically attracted to her but was that really all there was to it?

"I'm not sure how to answer your question. I really do feel something for Katsura but…."

"Listen. Are you upset because she isn't reciprocating to you physically?"

"Well there is that. I was hoping that we could start kissing and stuff soon."

Sekai sighed when she heard this. She knew that Makoto was a bit on the shallow side but she really hoped that he didn't start a relationship with Katsura just because he wanted an excuse to fondle her whenever he wanted.

"Well that's a start then. You're frustrated because Katsura hasn't made any attempt to move the relationship forward, at least from a physical standpoint. Okay I get that. But what I want to know is what you have done to make her more comfortable with you? Just because you're in a relationship with her does not automatically mean that you can touch her whenever you want. She has to start to trust you in order to do that."

Makoto clenched his fist when he heard this.

"What do I have to do then? I have been waiting for a month already and still we haven't done anything. She freaks out if we even hold hands. I mean I don't even feel like she's my girlfriend half the time."

It was then that Sekai started to get angry. She was beginning to see parts of Makoto's behavior that she didn't wish to acknowledge before. She had hoped that he wasn't the kind of person that entered relationships just because of the physical intimacy but the more he spoke the harder it was for her to ignore that premonition.

"What does Katsura even mean to you then Makoto? Did you seriously get into a relationship with her just so you can do perverted things to her? Have you even _tried_ to get to know her? Let me ask. Do you know her birthday?"

"Uhh…."

"What about what she likes? Do you know her favorite foods or what she likes to do on her spare time? Does she have a hobby? Does she play an instrument?"

"Well I didn't think that…."

"So Makoto you entered a relationship with a person without even knowing them at all? As far as I know you have made no effort to get to know Katsura over this past month. In effect you're right. She shouldn't feel like a girlfriend for you because you haven't even put forth the effort to see past her looks. Instead all you see is someone whom you can satisfy your urges and when she isn't willing to do that you get frustrated. I knew you were a bit on the shallow side Makoto but this is low even for you."

Any anger that Makoto felt evaporated as he started to feel shame. It was true. He loved attractive girls and he thought that Katsura was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. That alone was enough to get him hopelessly infatuated with her. But once he was in a relationship with her he realized that she wasn't the kind of person who would let him have his way with her.

His inexperience with relationships was partly at fault here but the fact of the matter was that he really did not know Katsura. How could he expect to get into a deeper relationship with her if he couldn't connect to her on even the most superficial level?

What wasn't helping matters was the fact that he felt a growing attraction to Sekai herself. He didn't realize before but he thought she was awfully cute. It helped that he was at ease around her and that she was willing to interact with him physically even if it was her hitting him behind the head half the time. That was better than no physical contact at all.

"You're right Sekai. The more that I think about it the more I realize that there is more to Katsura then just her being my girlfriend. I mean I feel more at ease with you Sekai but that's because we know each other. If I could at least get my relationship with Katsura on the same level as I have with you then I know that I'm doing something right. But it's difficult for me to interact with her like I do with you. I can't help but get nervous. I keep thinking that if I do something wrong she'll dump me." said Makoto glumly.

"There's no reason to be so scared. Katsura is dedicated if anything. She won't dump you because you mess up. We're all human here and we make mistakes. If she dumps you for something like that then it wasn't meant to be." replied Sekai.

Makoto raised his hands up in resignation as he heard this.

"I get it. Well thanks for talking some sense into me. It's just that I'm so new at this and I really do want to know Katsura better. It's just that I had no idea on how to do that. Guess I was just over thinking it all."

"Just be yourself Makoto. Show her that you want to know her better and LISTEN. If there is one piece of advice that I can give you right now Makoto is that listening is the most important trait you can have in relationship. Listen to her and show interest in what she likes to do. Who knows? Maybe you might find something in common with her and your relationship will grow from there."

It was then that Makoto went forward and gave Sekai a quick hug. She stiffened from the contact as her face heated up from the contact.

"Thank you for being there Sekai. You're the best friend I can ever ask for."

With that Makoto soon left leaving Sekai on her own.

"I only wish I could be more than just a friend for you Makoto."

* * *

Later that evening Makoto was waiting for Katsura outside the school gates. His mind was in a whirlwind. He kept thinking about the conversation he had with Sekai. There was no denying that he hadn't put much thought when he had asked Katsura to date him.

Truthfully he thought that dating was going to be easier than this. He had seen other guys dating and they made it look so easy. He envied them to a degree. They seemed to have an inherent knowledge in courting those of the opposite gender while he was floundering on his relationship.

It was not long before Katsura had finally showed up. She noticed her boyfriend and gave him a friendly smile. Makoto smiled in turn before taking his hand out and clasping that of Katsura. She blushed lightly from the contact but did not shirk from him.

 _This is good. Normally she would start making a fuss when I would hold her hand like this. Maybe she's in a good mood._

"Listen Katsura I have been thinking. Lately I have noticed that our relationship has been a bit…stale."

Makoto noticed Katsura hanging her head down when she heard this. She grasped his hand tighter before replying.

"I know that you are probably upset at me for not letting you do perverted things to me. I'm trying my hardest to accommodate you. Really I am."

The teenage boy couldn't help but feel bad for Katsura. She felt like it was her fault that their relationship had not progressed as much as he had wanted. True her shyness had made the relationship trying but Makoto knew that he was also partly to blame.

"That is not what I'm upset about Katsura. Yes I would like to eventually be more intimate with you. I mean what guy my age wouldn't? But I realized that the only way we can get to that point is that we trust each other. For that I will take the first step and apologize. I have placed a heavy burden on you by asking you out even though we don't know each other very well. I should have made more of an effort in getting to know you. Did you know that I have no idea when your birthday is? What kind of boyfriend am I to not know something like that about his partner? For that I want to apologize to you Katsura. I'm sorry."

Katsura was expecting many things from her boyfriend. She expected him to be angry or frustrated at her for not being able to reciprocate his feelings physically. Truthfully she did her best to acquiesce to his desires but she still didn't feel comfortable with him touching her in such a manner.

She felt horrible that she couldn't do this for her boyfriend. In school she would see so many other girls willing to let their boyfriends hold them intimately and envied their boldness.

What she didn't expect was his apologizing to her for his inconsideration. Not that she felt that he was being inconsiderate of her in any way. Makoto had been nothing but kind to her though perhaps a bit pushy the few times they did share an intimate moment.

However she did feel that he wasn't always interested in her.

Whenever she spoke he sometimes looked like he wasn't paying attention to her. There were many times that she would talk about herself and, at times, he looked bored. Eventually she stopped talking so much thinking that perhaps Makoto didn't like a girl who spoke too much. But since she had done that their relationship felt like it was stagnating even more.

To hear him now acknowledge that he was not paying the best of attention to her she felt a small glimmer of hope. It meant that he wasn't bored with her and that he was willing to claim responsibility in their relationship woes.

"I will not lie Makoto-kun. I had thought that perhaps you have grown bored of me already. I accept your apology but know this. I too take responsibility in not knowing you as well as I should. This is a problem that both of us have to address. I'm willing to acknowledge my faults as well. If you are willing to start on a clean slate then I'm willing to do that. I want this relationship to work."

"Well we can start off on going on a date on our own. I have really wanted to watch a movie with you. To make up for it I'll pay for everything. The movie tickets, snacks we can even eat out afterwards. I want to talk to you, to find out what you like or dislike. I want to know everything about you. But you have to trust me Katsura. If you don't trust me then this relationship will never work."

A shiver of fear came through Katsura. She was still hesitant in going out on a date with a boy alone like this. Even so there was a flicker of defiance. All her life she had been withdrawn and shy. She didn't do well with socializing with others and often retreated into her books.

It was this fear that was hurting her relationship with Makoto. As she turned and looked him in the eyes she could see his sincerity. The question was if she felt the same way toward her boyfriend as he did toward her.

"Okay then Makoto-kun. I don't know if I feel for you as strongly as you feel for me but I'm willing to make this next step in our relationship. You can pick me up at my house on Saturday. I'll be ready at noon. Please don't be late."

Makoto sighed in relief when he heard this. He was afraid that Katsura would get frightened by his renewed commitment to their relationship and bail on him. To agree to go out on a date on Saturday filled him with excitement.

"T-That's great Katsura! I'll be there to pick you up."

With that Makoto soon bounded off with a goofy smile on his face. The moment he was out of sight Katsura's expression turned pensive as her mind was plagued with second thoughts.

* * *

The day of their date was far better than what Makoto was expecting. He had thought of simply taking her to watch a movie and then end it for that day. He knew that Katsura was barely coming out of her shell and he was willing to be patient with her.

That didn't stop him when he placed his hand on hers during the movie that they were watching. He had expected her to pinch his hand or rebuff him in some other way but was pleasantly surprised that she grasped his hand with hers. They held hands for the rest of the movie.

Makoto decided to push his luck and asked if Katsura had wanted to go to the arcade with him. He was again surprised by her willingness to go with him. He had done a good job impressing her by getting a stuffed bear on the UFO machine on the first try but he pushed his luck too far as he challenged someone on a fighting game and got wrecked. Regardless Katsura was still impressed by his bravado and clung to his arm telling him that he tried his best and shouldn't be ashamed.

So it was that they ended their day at a diner where Makoto was treating Katsura to dinner. He was feeling euphoric. Today had been one of the best days he could remember. He felt like he was having a real relationship with Katsura and he was excited about what their future held.

"Listen Katsura I wanted to tell you that I had a lot of fun today. I'm so happy that you are here with me today."

A small blush appeared on Katsura's face.

"I was afraid about what would happen today Makoto-kun. I have never been on a date with someone before and was afraid that I would somehow mess this up. But I had a lot of fun today and am happy that our first date together went so well. Thank you."

It was Makoto's turn to blush as he heard how much Katsura enjoyed their date. He too was afraid that something was going to happen to turn their date into a disaster but was glad that everything turned out right in the end.

"So did you enjoy the movie Katsura? I know I chose kind of a cheesy love movie but I didn't want to frighten you with a horror movie."

"That's very considerate of you Makoto-kun but to be honest I actually enjoy horror movies. Don't get me wrong I get terribly frightened by them but I guess that's why I like them. Guess I enjoy getting off of the adrenaline high I suppose." said Katsura with a tint of shame in her voice.

"That's so cool! I didn't think you liked horror movies! I mean you look so meek and shy I would never have expected." said Makoto excitedly.

"Well most of the books I have been reading lately have been on the macabre side. Mary Shelly's _Frankenstein_ is a personal favorite of mine but there are others that I highly enjoy. Do you like horror movies as well Makoto-kun?"

"Me? Well it's not a favorite of mine but I'm always willing to watch them. Personally I don't watch many movies so I wouldn't be able to tell you if there is a genre I enjoy more than another. But I'll be happy to watch any horror movie with you if you want."

Katsura felt like a huge weight had come off of her chest. Her love for horror movies was something of a guilty pleasure for her. To know that Makoto was accepting of this side of her was a relief.

"What do you do on your spare time then Makoto-kun? Are there any books that you like to read?"

"Well I don't really read books mostly just manga and comics. Other than that I play video games but that's about it. Sorry if I'm not too interesting." said Makoto with an unsure laugh.

Katsura shook her head to dispel any feelings of inadequacy that Makoto might have been feeling.

"Well I don't really read manga or anything. What do you normally like to read?"

"Normally action and adventure with a strong male lead that gets all the girls in the end." said Makoto with a goofy smile.

Katsura giggled when she heard this.

"Gets ALL the girls in the end? That sounds a bit greedy in my opinion."

Makoto blushed when he heard this.

"Well I just think it's cool you know. But I understand what you mean. It probably is a bit greedy."

"So if you were a supposed hero in one of these adventures and I already lay claim to you would you still consider the feelings of the other girls and reciprocate them? Say if one the girls were Sekai?"

Makoto felt like he was just punched in the stomach. He did not expect Katsura to ask him such a blunt question but as he looked over at her he could tell she was scrutinizing him and that he needed to choose his answer carefully.

"That's a difficult question to answer Katsura."

The young woman narrowed her eyes when she heard this.

"What is so difficult about it? Would staying loyal to me be such a burden or is it the fact that it is Sekai that we are talking about?

All of Makoto's energy seemed to zap out of him as he slumped on the booth.

"It's not that it's just…."

"What do you true feelings toward Sekai?"

"Why are you asking me that question? I'm in a relationship with you not her."

"Regardless it is something that concerns me. Do you think that I'm blind? I see how you act around her, the way you casually tease her or make physical contact. I mean do you even hear the rumors at school? Half of our class thinks that you are going out with Sekai and not me and you know what? This really bothers me Makoto-kun. So let me ask you again. What are your feelings toward Sekai?"

Makoto was beginning to get what Katsura was telling him. The more he thought about it the more he could recall his interactions with Sekai and how intimate they must come across some of his peers. Truthfully he was at total ease around her. She was his best friend and someone that he could always talk to. However lately he felt that his feelings toward her had started to change.

His heart started to race whenever she made contact with him, he eagerly looked forward to seeing her in the mornings in class and could now even admit that she was really pretty. However he was not going out with Sekai but with Katsura. He knew that many of the misconceptions about his and Sekai's relationship were partly due to his not paying as much attention to Katsura as he should have.

He knew then that his relationship with Katsura had hit an impasse and that his girlfriend was putting everything on the line. Makoto knew that Katsura wasn't a confrontational person so for her to confront him on his commitment to their relationship spoke of how serious their situation was.

Normally Makoto would try to find an appeasing answer. Something which would not require him to commit too much of him while, at the same time, keeping the relationship afloat. It would not repair any issues in the relationship but it would prevent it from outright dying.

That would be the safe bet but it would not fix anything.

It was then that Makoto knew that he could not flake out on his answer this time. He had never expected to feel so strongly toward his best friend but before he knew it he had become infatuated with her. His feelings for Sekai were very real but so were his toward Katsura. Today's date especially convinced him that his feelings for Katsura were more than just a mere crush. He wanted to be with her more, to get to know her and have her be at his side. But that meant that he could no longer lollygag around.

"Katsura I will not deny that I care about Sekai. However the person that I wanted to be in a relationship with was you. That was the reason why I asked you out. Could you believe that I was frightened of asking you out? I was so sure that you were going to reject me. Now I'm happy to be in this relationship with you. As I said I'm willing to commit myself to this relationship."

"As for your question my answer is no. I would not cheat on you for Sekai. That would be an insult to both you and her. I care about you too much to do that. Now that I have answered your question I now ask you Katsura. Do you really want to go out with me? If you are not happy with me then we can end it. I'll…be sad but if it is for the best then I can accept that. But only if you truly feel if that is the best decision for you."

The purple haired girl didn't expect Makoto to be so forthcoming with his response. She had thought that perhaps he would try to play off her question so that he would avoid having to answer it. Had he gone that route then she was sure that she would have cut ties with him today.

Now that he made his intentions clear Katsura was now left without an appropriate response.

She knew that Sekai cared about Makoto and even suspected that she even harbored feelings for him. The way they got along was testament to that. Katsura now knew that she probably didn't like Makoto as much as Sekai did but that didn't matter. Makoto had chosen her and for that Katsura was willing to give him a chance to know her better so that their relationship could go that much deeper.

"I will admit that my feelings toward you are not as strong as you feel toward me or even Sekai's for that matter. It is because of my indecisiveness that I felt threatened of your friendship toward Sekai. But seeing as you're willing to commit yourself to this relationship then I feel that it is fair that I do my part as well. We have so much that we can learn about each other Makoto-kun. I do not want my boyfriend to be a stranger to me. For that I too will commit myself to you and I might as well start now to show that my intentions are true!"

Summoning all of her courage Katsura bent forward across the dining table and kissed Makoto on the lips. His eyes widened in shock from Katsura's boldness and couldn't move. Having made her point Katsura pulled back with a mischievous smile on her face and giggled.

"You really should see yourself Makoto-kun."

The boy still couldn't get over the fact that he had finally had his first kiss and in the best way possible too. Throughout the entire month he tried to get her to kiss him but had been rebuffed the entire time. For her to up and kiss him out of the blue like that spoke volumes of Katsura's commitment toward their relationship.

 _I-I guess this is what they mean when they say that actions speak louder than words._

Having recovered from his shock Makoto looked over at the drink silently before plucking up his courage and speaking once more.

"T-That was amazing Katsura. D-Do you think that we can…um, do that again when I get you home?"

His response came in the form of Katsura kissing him again. Makoto just stood there in shock as Katsura pulled back relishing in the power that she had in their relationship.

 _Kissing really isn't so bad. I wonder why I was so afraid of doing this before with Makoto-kun._

"There is no need to ask me Makoto-kun. We are in a relationship after all. I'll let you kiss me only if you let me kiss you whenever I want as well."

Makoto was sure that he was dreaming right now. What happened to the shy, repressed Katsura that shivered from holding hands with him? It seemed that she was replaced by someone totally different.

 _But she really is so hot when acts naughty. I think I like this new Katsura._

"Are you serious?" asked Makoto still in disbelief.

"Well also to keep your lips to yourself and me. If I ever find you kissing Sekai or anybody else then I'll kill you."

The change in Katsura's expression was frightening. Her flirty demeanor had suddenly disappeared and as Makoto stared onto Katsura's magenta eyes he felt like they were drilling holes in his head. The change was so abrupt that Makoto felt a shiver going up his spine.

 _S-She really is serious about this. I suppose it's from all those horror movies that she watches._

Then as quickly as it had came Katsura's expression soon went back to that of a soft smile. Makoto felt a giant sweat drop on the back of his head.

"I hope you were not being serious there Katsura."

"Totally serious!" said Katsura cheerfully.

Suddenly Makoto felt like he was having second thoughts about his relationship with Katsurabut then shook them off.

"Well I guess if that's the case then I'll be sure to keep my hands to myself. Just keep up on your side of the bargain and do so yourself. Now I won't kill you but it will be the end of our relationship." said Makoto with a reassuring smile though he wasn't sure if he was reassuring Katsura or himself.

Katsura gave a pout when she heard this.

"I would never cheat on you."

"I know but I still have to lay down the ground rules just like you did for me."

With that Makoto reached out and grabbed Katsura's hand and held it tightly on his own. He could see her blush from the contact and thought it cute that she was so bold just moments ago and now had reverted back to her normal, shy personality.

"Katsura I can't tell you how happy I am right now. Just yesterday I was afraid that our relationship was going nowhere. I kept blaming you for not wanting to commit to the relationship while also blaming myself for not doing more. I even wondered if what I felt for you was really true or if I was simply attracted to your looks. However after today I realize that I feel for you is real. Thank you for helping me realize that.

The purple haired girl felt like her heart was going to burst.

"No Makoto-kun. Thank you for being patient with me and helping me express myself to you in a way that no one else can. I promise to stay faithful only to you."

* * *

It was already dark as Makoto had Katsura at the doorstep of her house. In a way Makoto was kind of sad that today had to end. He was afraid that today was going to end up as a disaster but instead had turned out to be the best thing to ever happen to him.

Here he was able to finally interact comfortable with Katsura without the company of Sekai or anybody else. It truly felt like they were a couple.

"Thank you for asking me out on this date Makoto-kun and giving me the bravery to overcome my fears. I think I finally realize what I have to do to make this relationship work."

"We are still both new at this Katsura but I'm sure that we'll get it right. Anyway I had a lot of fun today. Are you available next Saturday? We can have another date if you like." asked Makoto.

A small frown traced itself on Katsura's face.

"I'll be taking care of my little sister that weekend unfortunately. But I am free two weeks from now. To make up for it I'll pay for dinner." said Katsura.

Makoto's face fell a little when he heard this. He knew that Katsura had other obligations but it was still disappointing. Even so he recovered quickly and gave a brave smile.

"Well I can't say that I'm not disappointed but I'll be sure to wait."

"I'm disappointed too Makoto-kun but it'll be worth it. Anyway thank you once again for today. Goodnight Makoto-kun."

With that Katsura went forward and kissed Makoto deeply on the lips. This time Makoto was ready and he returned the kiss with vigor. He could hardly believe that he finally was able to kiss Katsura like this. Her boldness gave him bravery as he soon took a chance and reached out and groped at Katsura's ample bosom.

She gave a slight gasp before pulling back and pinched Makoto's hand and taking it off of her. Makoto was afraid that he went too far but was relieved to see that she had a mischievous grin on her face.

"Now, now Makoto-kun that will come later. Tell you what if you behave I'll let you touch them on our next date."

The poor boy felt like he was going to die right then and there. Things were progressing wonderfully but he had to wait two weeks.

"Wait how do I know if I'm behaving right or not?" asked Makoto.

"Well isn't that a good question. I can't tell you that. The only way to find out if you behaved correctly is on our second date."

Makoto started to bawl comically.

"Katsura-chan you're so cruel!"

"Now, now can't have that. You have to wait Makoto-kun!"

It was then that both of them shared a laugh with each other before Katsura pecked him on the cheek before opening the door to her home.

"Goodnight Makoto-kun. I look forward to our next date."

With that she went inside her home leaving Makoto alone. The boy took a deep breath and walked away before getting to the street corner and jumping up into the air in joy.

He had doubted his relationship with Katsura but now he was happy to know that they had reached a new level of their relationship.

Their next date couldn't come fast enough.

* * *

Author's Note: Well that's it. Probably a bit OOC but something I felt Makoto could have done to prevent his untimely death. Anyway hope you all enjoyed.


End file.
